This invention relates generally to receptacles, and more particularly to the type, which receives mail inserted through an opening provided at a door, wall or other related partition. There have been several patents in the past to alleviate the burden of a floor cluttered with mail and the like beneath said opening.
With respect to U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,620 which has been described as a simple frame of two U-shaped members hinged together with cloth forming the basket and supported by chains on either side from the face of the door. This art is cumbersome to the user's ability to enter and exit through the door since the devise must remain fully open at all times to receive mail. This art also does not contain deep sides for which to contain the mail allowing the possibility for the articles to spill out onto the floor.
With respect to U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,646 it is described as having suction cups for which to adhere to a door thus limiting the type of door this invention can be mounted. Although this devise expands to collect mail, it fails to provide for the need to automatically collapse when the door is in use, thus, hindering the handicapped. In addition, it is probable that articles passed through the door could over shoot the top of the devise allowing the mail to fall to the floor since the device hinges its success on chance rather than a device to direct the mail into its collection chamber.
Other prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 0,179,761 lacks easy access to retrieve its contents and requires complex attachment to the mail slot. The submitted invention takes all of these problems into account with respect to its overall design.